


Vermont

by iloveromance



Category: Frasier (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-08
Updated: 2018-06-09
Packaged: 2019-05-19 19:55:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14880185
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iloveromance/pseuds/iloveromance
Summary: Realizing that her physical therapist skills are no longer needed in Seattle, Daphne accepts a job across the country in the beautiful state of Vermont. And while she is there, she experiences an unbelievable twist of fate and a love that she never imagined could be possible. An "unconventional" Niles and Daphne story that came to me in a dream.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> As the synopsis suggests, this story is the result of an unusual dream I had about a month ago that lingered in my mind. It reminded me of the movie "Baby Boom" which takes place in Vermont, which is where I got the title. Initially it was supposed to be a one shot but as you can see it's turned out to be much longer. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it. All comments and kudos are very much appreciated.

They sat side by side on the sofa, gazing at each other. She looked into his crystal blue eyes and her hand rested gently on his cheek while he, in turn, brushed a tear from hers. He was so handsome and the sweetest, most wonderful man she'd ever met.

"Daphne, please don't cry."

She blinked, sending more tears onto her cheeks and then smiled at him. "I'm sorry. I just-."

"I know..." His lips moved toward hers and as the kisses began, they both knew that there was nothing more to say. The kisses were heavenly and she wrapped her arms around him, wanting to be as close to him as possible.

She couldn't quite believe it. Just a few months earlier she had no idea who he was. That is, until, by a chance of fate, they'd met. They soon discovered, to their astonishment, that they had an amazing connection.

Not so long ago, she'd been hired by his older brother to provide physical therapy to his father who could no longer live on his own. Martin Crane was a stubborn old man, rarely in a good mood. But as the months passed, she began to see his softer side and had come to love him. Sadly the job had come to an end when the old man appeared to be getting better. He was walking without the use of his cane and even running (albeit in a slow, hobbling sort of way) after his beloved Jack Russell Terrier, Eddie. It was a sight that both pained her and filled her with a wonderful sense of accomplishment and happiness.

She didn't want to leave, for Mr. Crane had become like family. He was the father she'd always wanted, since her own father was rarely around. And how she wished that she had told Mr. Crane how she felt. But it was too late for sentiment. She knew that she couldn't stay. She had to go where she was needed. Her work at the lovely condo in the Elliott Bay Towers was done. She often wondered, however what might have happened had she told Mr. Crane and his son how much she cared for them. Would they have asked her to stay? She had no idea. Even now, the memory of it brought tears to her eyes.

"Daphne-."

Brought back to reality, her trembling fingertips touched Niles' soft lips. "Shh…" She whispered. "Don't talk, all right? Just hold me."

"With pleasure."

She was in his arms, her cheek resting against his. Her tears fell onto the back of his soft green sweater. He'd told her that he'd rarely worn sweaters in what he'd called his "old life". But in Vermont, things were very different. The weather, for one, was far less favorable than the weather in Seattle. Not that she really minded, however.

Vermont was a beautiful state; that much was certain. But it was worlds away from Seattle and the Pacific Northwest where a brief snowstorm could shut down an entire city for days. Vermontonians (as they were called) simply took the snowfall (and the more than occasional blizzards) in stride.

Daphne didn't really belong in Vermont and frankly neither did Niles. They were worlds apart in their personalities; she was from the city Manchester and he was from Seattle. It wasn't just geography that made them so different. Where Niles was sophisticated and wealthy, Daphne was easy going and not wealthy at all. So it was incredibly ironic that she'd managed to acquire a huge farmhouse in Vermont that was vastly different from Niles' small cottage. Her farmhouse was enormous with more room than she could possibly need.

At first she tried to refuse the offer to buy the house, but the real estate agent had talked her into it, saying that it was a bargain to find such a large house for so little money. And when it was put that way, Daphne smiled and happily accepted. However, when Niles offered to make her dinner at his home, she was charmed by the small cottage. It was the perfect size and, despite how vastly different it was from her own home, it didn't feel claustrophobic at all.

Slowly she drew out of his arms and gazed into his eyes, suddenly unable to resist kissing him again and again. His lips were so soft, his skin was like silk and he smelled absolutely wonderful; a mixture of crisp, musky cologne and pine-scented soap. It was as though Niles' scent was tailor made for Vermont.  
When she was finally able to stop kissing him (for a little while anyway), she drew back once again and softly caressed his cheek. He reached out and brushed away a tear that she was completely unaware of.

"Daphne, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"

"Because… I… I've dreamed about this for so long. And I can't believe…."

"I know…"

"How is it possible that I stayed with your brother and father for so long without ever knowing that you existed?"

He nodded and then lowered his head. "I know, and I'm sorry. I should have come around at least some of the time. Because had I known that you were living at my brother's place, I would have made a point to visit every day, just to see you, my love."

More tears filled her eyes and she cradled his face in her hands as she brought her lips to his. "Oh Niles…" She whispered. "I wish that, too."

"I'm sorry Daphne. It's just that, well I'm sorry to say that Frasier and I don't really see eye to eye, and-."

She stopped him with a kiss. "You don't have to explain. I understand. I'm glad it happened this way. Meeting each other so far from our homes, in such a beautiful state, just two people who weren't looking for love but found it anyway. It means that we were meant to be together, don't you think so?"

"Yes I do. In fact, there's something-."

"Don't talk, Niles. Just kiss me again."

He said no more and brought his lips to hers. This time the kisses were different. Passionate; full of desire. But as always, they ended much too soon.

"I'll be right back." He whispered, kissing her cheek.

As he rose from the sofa, the cushion shifted and she immediately felt the loss of the warmth of his body. And then he was gone.

Her chest began to ache. It was a strange feeling; one that she'd never felt before. Was this what deep love felt like? Missing someone so much that it physically hurt, even though they'd just seen each other minutes earlier?

But before she could analyze it (the way Frasier analyzed pretty much everything), Niles returned, holding something in his palm.

"What's that?"

He stood beside her, smiling, making her feel warm inside. She hadn't known him very long, but he was definitely up to something.

"Niles, what's going on?"

He ran his thumb across the object in his hands. And then Daphne gasped as Niles lowered himself to one knee.

"Niles…"

He held out the small black box and slowly opened the lid. Inside was the most beautiful ring that Daphne had ever seen.

"Daphne Moon, would you make me the happiest man alive and agree to marry me?"

Her mouth trembled and tears spilled onto her cheeks. She didn't answer him. She didn't have to. Her passionate kisses on his soft, beautiful lips told him everything he needed to know. She knew at that moment, she wanted to spend the rest of her life with course she would marry him. She loved Niles Crane more than she thought it was possible to love anyone.

It didn't matter that they hadn't known each other very long. When it was love, nothing else mattered.


	2. Chapter 2

(Six months earlier)

Daphne stood in the living room of Frasier's condo at the Elliot Bay Towers. She faced her boss and her charge, doing her best to hold back tears. But it wasn't easy.  
Frasier took her hand and smiled. "Daphne, you don't have to do this. You know that you're welcome to stay."

Daphne smiled through the tears that relentlessly filled her eyes. "I can't. You know that. I have to go where I'm needed."

"We need you." Frasier said pointedly.

"That's sweet, but your father's better now. My work here is done."

"Yes, Dad is better. He's stronger and better than ever, thanks to you. But just because he's better doesn't mean-."

"He's right. And actually, my hip-."

Daphne laughed at Martin's attempt to get her to stay. The poor man was in such bad shape when she'd arrived almost a year earlier. He'd fallen in the shower and Frasier decided that he shouldn't live alone any longer. A nursing home was out of the question and he appeared to be reluctant to hire Daphne to provide physical therapy. She knew that she wasn't the person they'd had in mind, but thanks to Martin's persistence, the job was hers. It took some getting used to but she had grown to enjoy it very much.

She smiled at Martin, focusing her attention on both men. "Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity. I can't tell you how much it means to me and I'll cherish it always."

"Then why are you leaving?" Martin asked.

"I told you, I have to go where I'm needed."

"But Frasier was right. We need you here."

Her heart warmed at the way the two men were trying to get her to stay. She wanted to stay, oh how she wanted to, but it wasn't right. "I want to do for someone else what I've done for you." She explained. "I can't tell you how proud I am of you, Martin. And of myself. But it's time for a new opportunity."

"Vermont will be lucky to have you." Frasier said. "And Seattle will miss you. Namely Dad and I."

"Thank you. I am a little nervous though. I didn't expect to find another job so soon."

Martin laughed. "What? You nervous? Nah… The Daphne I know would never get nervous."

Daphne tried to laugh along but the thought of leaving brought the tears even closer to the surface and she blinked them away. "Well, Vermont is quite far and the only place I've been in the United States and-."

"Not as far as Manchester." Frasier replied.

His words made her brush away tears and she forced a smile. "You're right. But even so…"

"You'll be a wonderful asset to your new employer in Vermont. I was more than happy to give you a glowing recommendation."

"That's right. You did recommend me, didn't you? Well, if it weren't for you, there's no telling where I would have ended up."

"You're very good at your job, Daphne. Don't ever forget that, all right? What you did for Dad and for I speaks volumes."

Daphne hugged Frasier tightly. "Thank you, Dr. Crane…"

"I haven't been there in a long time but Vermont is beautiful. However the winters can be brutal so keep that in mind."

"I will."

"Hey, what about me?"

Daphne drew out of Frasier's arms and accepted a warm hug from Martin. In all of the time she'd been employed by Dr. Crane, Martin had never been one for sentiment. But now he was holding her close, as though she was one of his children. It meant so much to her that she found it hard to pull away.

"I guess we should be getting to the airport." She said. Her heart ached at the words.

The Crane men looked at each other worriedly. "Yeah, I guess we probably should." Frasier said.

With a sigh, Daphne followed Martin and Frasier out of the condo for the last time. At the door, she turned and looked at the living room. So many memories… and the gorgeous view of the Seattle skyline was unmatched by anything she'd ever seen before. She would certainly miss it.

Her heart was heavy as they climbed into Frasier's fancy black BMW and headed down the expressway. Soon, her life in Seattle would be just a memory. But what a wonderful memory it would be.


	3. Chapter 3

At the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Daphne said goodbye to Frasier and Martin once again. But this time, the goodbyes were even harder. This time it was forever. She smiled at her soon-to-be former boss and gave him one last hug. 

“I’ll never forget you, Dr. Crane.”

“We won’t forget you either, Daphne. And please, keep in touch once in a while, all right? Let us know how you’re doing.”

“I will...”

“Thank you both… For everything. I-.” She stared at Frasier and Martin, wanting so much to say what was in her heart, but she found that she couldn’t do it. 

“Goodbye, Daphne.” Frasier said after a long silence. 

“Well…” Martin said. “I guess this is it.”

“I-I guess so.” She choked out. She hugged Martin tightly, surprised when he didn’t pull away. “Thank you Martin. And I meant what I said before. I am proud of you.”

The old man blushed slightly. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Daphne.”

His words, sentiment that he rarely exhibited, caused her to burst into tears. Both men went to her, hugging her tightly and kissed her cheek. After several long moments she let go and headed into the airport. She paused at the sliding door and smiled at them, giving them one last wave. She had known that saying goodbye to the people she cared about would be hard, but she never imagined that it would be this difficult. 

As she waited in line to go through Security, she tried to think positive. She was starting a brand new life; one that was waiting for her on the other side of the country. It was scary to be sure but also very exciting. She’d always wanted to see America and now she was going to see a completely different side. 

When at last the call was made to board her plane, she did so with a heavy heart. And when the plane lifted off the ground, she stared at the city below that was becoming smaller and smaller by the second. She realized how much she would miss the place that was often called “The Emerald City”. It was like no place on earth. 

When Seattle was no longer visible and the plane was high above the clouds, Daphne leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes, content to dream about the new life that she was about to embark upon and the old life that was moving further and further away. 

She wondered what Frasier and Martin were doing at that very moment. She’d barely been gone two hours and she missed them terribly. And she wondered, perhaps quite selfishly, if they missed her as well.


	4. Chapter 4

Daphne looked around in awe as the taxi sped past farmlands, mountains and lush green trees. Summer was just beginning and she found that she was looking foreword to starting her new life. Vermont certainly was beautiful; even more beautiful than she'd imagined. The weather was quite different than the weather in the Pacific Northwest, but she was certain that she would get used to it quickly.

"Here we are." The driver said, bringing the cab to a stop. Slightly disoriented, she looked around suddenly realizing that they had arrived at the Vermont Inn, the hotel that was her new home for the time being.

The Vermont Inn was nice, clean and had friendly staff but it was a bit of a letdown after living in such luxurious quarters at the Elliott Bay Towers. It was, after all, a hotel. But she settled in quickly and was grateful that she had a roof over head and a place to sleep.

She called the number at the agency to get the information she needed for her new job. But she was disappointed with the results. Her new job, as it turned out, wasn't working for a family at all, but rather in the local hospital. She absolutely hated hospitals and was terrified about working in one; having to be there day in and day out. But, as she had told Frasier and Martin, she had to go where she was needed. And the hospital, as it turned out, was where she was needed the most.

She was one of three physical therapists working in the Physical Therapy wing of the acclaimed Vermont Medical Center. It took some getting used to, since it was so different than her job working for Frasier. But fortunately the staff was very friendly and she enjoyed the company of her co-workers. The best part was that although the cost of living in Vermont was far less than Seattle had been, the job paid handsomely; even more than Frasier had been paying her. She felt strange, suddenly having come into so much money. After struggling most of her life to make ends meet, it felt strange to realize that she was suddenly coming into her own, financially speaking. She wasn't rich by any means but she would no longer have to worry about paying the bills and having enough to eat. Yes, this new life was definitely going to take some getting used to.

One day, not long after she'd started she was called into her supervisor's office. She bid a polite goodbye to her patient; a sweet little girl who was working to regain the use of her arm after a bad fall, and headed down the hallway. Her heart was pounding and she feared the worst. What if they didn't like her work? What if she wasn't the right person for the job? Where would she go? What would she do?

There was always the agency, but there were no guarantees that they would have another position for her readily available. She was tempted to call Frasier and ask for her job back, but she couldn't do it, not after all of the trouble she'd put he and Martin through in leaving in the first place. And Martin was stronger, most likely no longer in need of assistance. For that she was grateful, but also a bit sad.

She swallowed hard and stood at Teresa's office, trying to ignore the way her heart was thundering in her chest.

"Come in." Teresa's muffled voice said through the closed door.

Daphne opened the door and walked inside.

"Close the door, Daphne."

Daphne did as she asked and then went to sit down across from Teresa's desk. This didn't look good at all.

"Is something wrong?" Daphne finally said when the silence had gone on for much longer than necessary. "Because I really-."

"How are things going?"

The question caught her off guard. "What?"

"Well, you seem to be doing beautifully so far and the patients' love you."

Daphne couldn't help but smile. "Really?"

"Yes. You're a wonderful asset to us and we are grateful to have you."

Overcome with relief, Daphne put her hand over her heart. "Oh, thank you. You have no idea how nice it is to hear that."

Teresa smiled. "I suppose you're wondering why I wanted to see you."

"Yes, actually I was."

"Well, we haven't had much of a chance to talk since you started."

"I know, things have been quite hectic, but I enjoy keeping busy."

"That's good to hear. But I'm anxious to know how you're settling in."

"Oh, I'm fine. It's really lovely here."

"Yes, it is, isn't it? And you found a place to settle into?"

Daphne was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say.

"Daphne?"

"Yes?"

"I was asking if you'd found a place to settle into?"

"Oh… well…"

"Is something wrong?"

"Well, not really. I mean the Vermont Inn on Brumbach Street is very nice and all. And I enjoy the company."

"I see. But you haven't found anything permanent."

"No." The word was so soft, Daphne wondered if Teresa heard her.

Teresa smiled and reached into her desk, removing a small business card which she handed to Daphne. "Here, this is the number of my friend Elsie. She's a fabulous real estate agent and she will help you find the perfect home."

"Oh, you don't have to go to all of that trouble, really."

"It's no trouble at all. Please, give her a call. We want to keep you on our staff for a long, long time and you need a permanent home."

"Well…" She glanced at the card once more. "All right. I'll call her in the morning."

"Great."

"Thank you, Teresa. Thank you so much. This is… a wonderful opportunity that you've given me and I want to prove myself to you."

"You already have, Daphne."

Daphne rose from her chair and thanked Teresa again. She walked back to the Physical Therapy wing, happier than she'd ever been since arriving in Vermont.


	5. Chapter 5

At the next rare free moment, Daphne didn't hesitate to call Elsie, the real estate agent that Teresa recommended. She had expected to leave a message, as she knew that real estate agents had busy schedules, but to her surprise Elsie answered. They talked for a bit and then arranged to meet at the hotel on Daphne's day off.

Elsie was fun, energetic and full of knowledge about the area and about the state in general. Daphne felt at ease with her and didn't hesitate to ask Elsie question after question about everything that Vermont had to offer. In return, Elsie took Daphne on a whirlwind tour of the immediate and surrounding cities, showing her every available house after house.

All of the homes she was shown were beautiful and certainly affordable, but Daphne was hesitant. The prices in Vermont were much cheaper than in Seattle and she realized that she could get a lot more home for her money in the "Green Mountain State", but the array of choices was staggering. She was on the verge of telling Elsie that she needed time to think it over when Elsie insisted that she see one more home.

Reluctantly, Daphne drove with Elsie to a huge farmhouse on the edge of town. The moment she walked into the house, she was filled with awe. It was the most beautiful home she'd ever seen with rich hardwood floors and plush grey carpet. No detail was overlooked and almost every room had a brick fireplace (even the bedroom!), which gave the house a warm feeling. The outside of the home was painted a beautiful pale yellow, making it feel brighter than most of the other homes she'd seen. She walked through the house, taking in every inch and sighed.

"What do you think?" Elsie asked, greeting her at the bottom of the stairs.

"It's absolutely beautiful." Daphne replied.

"It's yours if you want it, Daphne. Just name your price."

The words sounded foreign to Daphne's ears. Never in her life had she dreamed of standing in a large, beautiful farmhouse, let alone owning one. It was like something out of a fairy-tale.

"Well?" Elsie prompted when Daphne didn't answer right away.

"Oh, I…"

"If it's the price you're worried about…"

"No, I just…"

"This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, Daphne."

Daphne laughed. "You said that about the last three houses we've been to!"

"But this time it's really true. You won't find a better deal on a house in all of Vermont."

She thought for a moment. "I don't know…"

"I know it's much larger than you need, but I'm sure you'll be living here for a long time to come. The extra space will come in handy once a husband and children come into the picture."

The ridiculous idea made Daphne laugh yet again. "That's something that I won't have to worry about for a long time. I hardly know anyone here in Vermont except for people at work and-."

"And if it's any consolation, Vermont has a lot of available men. And the hospital is probably more of a drive than you're used to, but it's a beautiful one."

"It is that." Daphne replied, remembering how breathtaking the drive had been when she met Elsie at the hospital that morning; so peaceful and serene. It was worlds away from the sometimes chaotic hustle and bustle of Seattle.

She looked around the house once more. It certainly was tempting. And deep down, she knew that Elsie was right. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. With a grin, she turned to Elise and said the words that she never imagined she'd say;

"I'll take it."


End file.
